Fighter as Platform to Launch Military Micro Satellites

Abstract

The F15/ASAT and MiG 31/ISHIM has demonstrated that technology to launch small satellites so called micro satellites are disposal for both USA and Russian countries. The USA system called Pegasus has been used the MD11 airplane to launch satellites in low orbits is reality. After the end of the Cold War has decreased the interest of USA to launch micro satellites using as platform the F15 or other fighter, wherever the Russian has continued the project to make the MiG 31 a platform to launch the ISHIM system, the joint project between Russian and Kazakhstan ( this last one has suspended its partnership). With new players in strategic game like China and India ( both countries has lot experienced with launch vehicle satellites) could be interested to add the capability to launch micro satellites using Su 27/30/35 family or as platform to ASAT ( Anti Satellite Weapon). This simple paper will discuss about the possibility to increase the capabilities in the strategic game using the fighter as Su 27/30/35 family platform to launch micro satellites and the bomber Tu 22M3 as platform to launch satellites in low orbits .

ELINT Micro Satellites

France has developed micro satellites to use as ELINT sensor in form of the constellation. The first experimental micro satellite, the 110lb (50kg) Cerise, was launched in July 1995, but was extensively damaged when it was hit by space debris during launch. A second COMINT satellite technology demonstrator, Clementine, was successfully launched in December 1999, paving the way for a more ambitious project, a constellation of four Astrium/ Thales Essaim satellites. Using this network of 264 lb (120Kg) micro satellites flying in cluster (about at 6 miles apart at 423 miles above the earth) make it possible to create a virtual giant sensor with outstanding capabilities.
The micro satellites hasn’t been intentioned to replace ELINT airplanes, because both system have inherent advantages, but in the asymmetrical war the possession of the micro satellites for ELINT mission could be used to diminish the difference of capabilities in gain intelligence of the side with more power, when the airplanes will not be capable to accomplish because the power side has gained the air superiority .
Ground Combat: The movements of the troops and the post commands could be spotted without the using COMINT or recce airplanes. Large ground troops can’t keep silence of the radio communications for long time.
Sea Combat: The ships or even submarines could be spotted out of the range of the maritime searching radars of the airplanes. In the maritime operations the vessels can’t keep silence of the radio communications for long time.
Air Combat: All airplanes that have been using the radio communications could be spotted out of the range of air surveillance radar defense (e.g. AWACS, ISR ,bomber, fighters). This aspects could be important even for F 22 RAPTOR, that has been planed to use a complete datalink system to receive and inform the status of the enemy airspace or while has been performing recce missions.

Su 27/30/35 as Platform to Launch Micro Satellites

As MiG 31 Foxhound had been testing as platform to launch the ISHIM system till the project was suspended by Kazakhstan government ( MiG 31 operator).This ISHIM project has been driven to launch micro satellites in low orbits with the same parameters of the Austrim/Thales ESSAIM.
The Russian government could find out others partnership for this project, like users of the Su 27/30/35 family, those fighter has capabilities to reach high altitude with considerable load in many aspects similar to the MiG 31 or the combination F15/ASAT. Its important remember that a special version of the Su 27 (T10S) prototype has established the high altitude record, previously reached for the a special version of the F15.
The Su 35BM has been projected with AL 41F engines, which will increase the capabilities to reach high altitude with considerable load than comparable for others versions of the Su 27/30 family has equipped with AL 31F engines. Its important mentioned that the fact that Su 35BM has incorporated new titanium alloys in its structure, which will decrease the weight of the fighter. These two topics has expanded the possibility that fighter will be used as platform to launch: ASAT, air ballistic missiles and micro satellite ( ISHIM rocket).
In resume the high altitude and load parameters that Su 27/30/35 has been reached its not special aspect in combat than others (e.g. speed, agility, combat radius), but to launch micro satellites those parameters could be important.

Tu 22M3 as Platform to Launch Satellites

The Tu 22M3 could be used as platform to launch satellites in low orbits. The American Pegasus rocket using the MD11 airplane (before B52 bomber) as platform has obtained high numbers of the clients to launch satellites in low orbits. As the TU 22M3 was developed to carry heavy missiles like the Kh 22 in the center belly, would be not difficult to expand this capability to carry a similar Pegasus rocket. The news about the interest of the China to buy used TU 22M3 from Russian stockpile and the previously interest of the India in lease the TU 22M3 from Russian could be not only as attack platform.
Both countries like China and India has accumulated large experience with satellites and launch vehicles, which will not be impossible to these countries to design a copy of the Pegasus system. This Pegasus system would give the capability to launch wide types of the satellites in low orbits, even optic recce satellites.

The Reasons to Launch Satellites and Micro Satellites From Airplanes

The main vantage to create these types of system to launch satellites would not be necessary to build or keep large bases for this proposal. These larges base to launch satellites will be the primary targets in war time. With airplanes platform to launch satellites these systems could be deployed in many places (air bases) , making more difficult for attacker to find and destroy this precious system.
With air system to launch satellites the rocket will become less heavy and expensive than comparable the ground launch system. Indeed the low cost of the rocket will make less expensive to deploy satellites with low useful life, which means that satellites could be used in missions of the limited time with minors cost than comparable with satellites with high useful life.
The airplanes could launch those satellites hours before of the war has begun. Even micro satellites could be launched before a mission of combat has started. Micro satellites as decoy of the others satellites systems would be deployed to deceive the opponent side. The cost of the launch rockets its important parameter to accomplish those missions.
There are possibilities to deploy a constellation of communications satellites in low orbits before the combat has started. This system could be used to datalink information’s for all combat units out of the range of their bases. If the satellites would be used in limited time there aren’t reasons to invest in high useful life satellites with high cost. Today are three system of the communications satellites already deployed in low orbits . The first system was created by Motorola Company and has been used for mobile cell phone. Its important mentioned the fact that Defense Department of USA has assumed this platform .The possibility that even strategic cruise missiles will receive and transmit images or information’s via datalink from low orbits satellites could be reached in near future without a large investments in infrastructure. Today this principle to datalink commands and receive images has applied in the tactic cruise missiles ( e.g, JASSM, Kh 59, Kh 65, SLAM ER, KLPD 350 and Popeye) , but the system could be used in ranges of the few hundreds miles rather the strategic cruise missiles ( e.g Kh 555 and AGM 109 Tomahank) that has reached targets from thousands miles .The critical phase of the mission for cruiser missile is the final phase when them has been approaching of the targets. Using communications satellites or micro satellites to guide the cruise missiles in the final phase, even GPS( American Global Position Satellites) or Glonass( Russian Global Position Satellites) has been denied around the target, the precision of the attack would be reached put mans operators in the commands of this missiles. The cruise missiles could be used to attack moving targets or opportune targets like AWACS in the taxi ways of the base or ships on the harbors bay.

End Notes

Not only the Su 27/30/33/34/35 and MiG 31(today there are hundreds in Russian stockpile) fighters would be capable to launch micro satellites using ISHIM rocket project or even the Tu 22M3 bomber to launch satellites in low orbits ,but a large number of the others types of fighters(e.g. F22 RAPTOR, F/A 18 E/F HORNET, RAFALE, TYPHOON as platform to launch micro satellites and others heavy bombers( e.g. F111, B1B, B52) or even cargo airplanes( civil and military) to launch satellites in low orbits.
But the numbers of users of the Su 27 family has been increasing fast, and the possibility of someone of those will developed in near future the capability to launch micro satellites its not impossible mission to accomplish.

BIBLIOGRAFY

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